Sharks v. Tahs - 2011R15

[topo]

MCL = Medial cruciate ligament? Don't bad tears of the medial require a full reconstructioin operation? Can you tell if its not too bad before the MRI? Not medically knowledgable, but very worried about losing him for the RWC. He has been a revelation this year and should start for the Wallabies with Slipper on the bench.

Have the Tahs taken another prop to SA or is someone going to have to fly out?

Medial collateral ligament. Usually doesn't need surgery. Paddy Ryan is over there.

 

[rustycruiser]

Ah. Maybe he Shorks have been having some judo training but obviously not enough.

Well they do have a choker Kiwi coach in Natal. Makes sense now.

:fishing

 

[Blue]

Well they do have a choker Kiwi coach in Natal. Makes sense now.

:fishing

Ah so we can blame the Kiwis.

Phew. That's that then.

 

[whatty]

Ah so we can blame the Kiwis.

Phew. That's that then.

Exactly both teams led by kiwis, its a plot I say.

 

[MrTimms]

Medial collateral ligament. Usually doesn't need surgery. Paddy Ryan is over there.

Looks like they are flying Tilse over...

Season over for Kepu as Tahs' troubles grow
Jamie Pandaram May 30, 2011

DURBAN: Sekope Kepu has been ruled out for the rest of the season in another damaging blow to the Waratahs' finals aspirations.

The Wallabies prop, who had been in excellent form, injured his knee in the first 13 minutes of Saturday's match against the Sharks, and will be out for up to six weeks, which also jeopardises his chances of featuring in Australia's first Test, against Samoa on July 17 in Sydney.

Kepu will return to Sydney today, with squad member Jeremy Tilse to fly to South Africa as a back-up against the Bulls in Pretoria on Friday.

The injury crisis deepened for NSW when centre Ryan Cross was also ruled out for two to three weeks with a knee-joint injury.

Frustrated Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said: ''You think you get to the bottom of the injury list, and then we lose 'Keps' and 'Crossy' in the first 20 minutes of that game, with Berrick [Barnes] being ruled out earlier in the week.

''You just keep hoping you've hit rock bottom. Keps's form this year has been outstanding, his work as a tight-head prop has been superb. And on top of that, his work around the park as a ball carrier, in defence, work at the breakdown, has been absolutely outstanding.

''So to lose that sort of player … is a big disappointment. We're very fortunate to have Al Baxter, who came on and did a fantastic job for us, so the depth of the squad will cover [up] on that position.

''Ryan was really starting to develop his play, and in the last couple of weeks, I thought he played his best football for us, so it's disappointing to lose him.''

Kepu is particularly valuable because he can scrummage on either side. Tilse is flying in today because the alternatives, Baxter and Paddy Ryan, are specialist tight-heads, and there needs to be cover for loose-head Benn Robinson.

If Barnes is fit, the Waratahs could play Daniel Halangahu at inside-centre and shift Tom Carter to No.13. But if Barnes fails to recover for Friday's game, Lachie Turner would likely start at outside-centre, with Afa Pakalani on the wing.

The Waratahs could not hide their disappointment as they took stock of their defeat to the Sharks in a Durban hotel yesterday.

Leading 21-13 with 25 minutes remaining and with Sharks No.7 Jean Deysel in the sinbin, it was an opportunity they should not have let slip.
''Everyone hurts a bit after a loss like that. There was a chance to win the game,'' Hickey said. ''Eight points up, we needed to control the game and force them to play in their half, and we could have built pressure, perhaps pick up a penalty or a turnover that gives us an opportunity to score another try.''

Hickey also dismissed the notion there was a positive in running the ball from their own half - as many supporters had hoped to see - despite that contributing to the loss.

''It's not about style. We came here to win,'' Hickey said. ''We've been developing our attacking game all year. People just choose to ignore the games when we've been able to use it.

''We needed to be smart with how we played with the eight-point lead, and … in the whole game we played way too much football in our own half. We didn't build any sustained pressure on the Sharks, from forcing them to try to carry the ball out from their own half. In the 80-minute picture, that was the significant factor.

''The game in Pretoria [now] becomes a little bit more important to us. We said we wanted to pick up one game over here. We didn't do it against the Sharks so it means we've got to focus strongly on the Bulls.

''It was always going to be a big game at Loftus against the Bulls, regardless of whether we won against the Sharks or not.''

Source

 

[Bullrush]

''Ryan was really starting to develop his play, and in the last couple of weeks, I thought he played his best football for us, so it's disappointing to lose him.''

It's 15 rounds into the competition and he's starting to develop his play?!?!?

 

[MrTimms]

There are quite a few quotes in that that boggle the mind.

 

[Richo]

''It's not about style. We came here to win,'' Hickey said. ''We've been developing our attacking game all year. People just choose to ignore the games when we've been able to use it.

''We needed to be smart with how we played with the eight-point lead, and … in the whole game we played way too much football in our own half. We didn't build any sustained pressure on the Sharks, from forcing them to try to carry the ball out from their own half. In the 80-minute picture, that was the significant factor.

''The game in Pretoria [now] becomes a little bit more important to us. We said we wanted to pick up one game over here. We didn't do it against the Sharks so it means we've got to focus strongly on the Bulls.

''It was always going to be a big game at Loftus against the Bulls, regardless of whether we won against the Sharks or not.''

"A little bit more important"? "Regardless of whether we won"? "We've been developing our attacking game all year"?

Bloody hell.

 

[vidiot]

We didn't build any sustained pressure on the Sharks, from forcing them to try to carry the ball out from their own half.

Did he think the Tahs were playing the Cronulla Sharks? Did the Tahs take the wrong option on the 6th tackle? Edit: Or is it the 5th?

 

[Scotty]

Because he is a dumb fuck? Testosterone? Not enough brain cells? I don't know.

You're missing my point. I am saying what he did was 100% wrong but I think it's a brain explosion and carelessness rather than "oh look here, a neck for me to choke. Let me do maximum damage".

Well I think you are wrong. If you keep holding a guy around the neck, you are intending to inflict pain. Clearly Carter was distressed in that situation. The fact he held on for longer than needed for the clean out proves it.

 

[Jnor]

I think you and Blue are pretty much on the same page scotty. I don't doubt he was trying to inflict pain in the headlock/choke/whatever it was. But I think the reason he did it may well have been as Blue outlined - he is either a dumb fuck, too much testosterone etc. No one could call it appropriate in the cold light of day with rational thought processes, but that wasn't when it happened.

I'm assuming the hearing will be mid-week some time? Can't see him getting off lightly either - although what happens to the suspension if it carries past the end of the season for the Sharks? I assume it won't extend into the first rounds next year or some such?

 

[rustycruiser]

It carries over to other levels of rugby. South Africans have the Currie Cup immediately after Super rugby, so he would miss games there if it is longer than 6 weeks. Which it won't be. I think 4 week ban max. Effectively rules him out of Super rugby, unless the Sharks make the later rounds of the playoffs

 

[Bruce Ross]

If Barnes is fit, the Waratahs could play Daniel Halangahu at inside-centre and shift Tom Carter to No.13.

Would it not make more sense to play Hangers at 10 and Berrick at 12? A much stronger defensive structure.

And having done that, would it not make even more sense to tell Berrick that the first time he kicks the ball he'll be hooked? A much stronger attacking structure.

 

[DPK]

What about cross-field kicks (Round 1, Mitchell try vs Rebels) or chip kicks (Cross try, vs Lions), Bruce?

 

[Blue]

Just heard a rumor that some of Carter's team mates actually asked Deysel to hang on longer. They enjoyed the moment's silence.

 

[Bruce Ross]

What about cross-field kicks (Round 1, Mitchell try vs Rebels) or chip kicks (Cross try, vs Lions), Bruce?

No dispensation at all for mine, DPK. Let Hangers do the kicking. We have to get rid of this tendency to thoughtlessly kick ball away. Let's have ball through the hands. It would be an interesting change of game plan for the 'Tahs.

At 12 I think Berrick would be much more effective if he were constrained to run or pass, at least until he subdues the kick reflex, which may well take some time.

 

[PaarlBok]

Thought the Sharks was very luckily to get a win in this one. They seem to play then at full trottle and then they drop off. The Tahs should have sunk them and will pay a heftic price not doing so. They dominate the scrum totally and hope the Smith experiment in fatty is over. He should have started in 2 with Beast in LH. Diesel's antics was a disgrace to watch. Vok he is a stupid dimb as dumb rugby player. Thought the Tah he had in his neck wise grip was dead.

 

[I like to watch]

No dispensation at all for mine, DPK. Let Hangers do the kicking. We have to get rid of this tendency to thoughtlessly kick ball away. Let's have ball through the hands. It would be an interesting change of game plan for the 'Tahs.

At 12 I think Berrick would be much more effective if he were constrained to run or pass, at least until he subdues the kick reflex, which may well take some time.

Bruce, good point, but do you think his kicking is against Hickey's game plan?
I am pretty sure he made the point that the loss against the Sharks was because they failed to kick for territory?

 

[Bruce Ross]

I have spent two-and-a-half-seasons trying to decipher "Hickey's game plan", Iltw, but he's much too inscrutable for me. I thought I had a read on him in the first two matches this season, but it seems that was just an unfortunate aberration. I suppose the good thing is that opposition coaches probably are also at a loss as to the 'Tahs' game plan.

If I interpret you correctly, I think you are right. It seems excessively unlikely that anyone ever gets a boot up the arse for putting the slipper into the ball. Kicks probably get bonus points in the internal match stats.